Latched helmet suspension mount



Feb. 9, 1960 w, J LEE ET AL 2,923,942

LATCHED HELMET SUSPENSION MOUNT Filed Dec. 27, 1957 III WQQ INVENTORS I g g/ Wilbur J Lee.

John. M. E 5

ATTORNEY 2,923,942 LATCHED HELMET SUSPENSION MOUNT Wilbur J. Lee, Williamsville, and John M. Egly, Tonawanda, N.Y., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application December 27, 1957, Serial No. 705,726 4 Claims. (Cl. 2-3) The invention relates to improved means for readily detachably mounting a helmet suspension in a protective helmet. In the past, such suspensions are usually wholly or partially permanently connected to the helmet shell whereby when it is necessary to adjust the sweatband portion of the suspension or the cradle portion thereof, the adjustment must be made in cramped quarters interiorly of the helmet. This not only takes too much time but frequently results in inaccurate adjustments which require further adjustments and additional delay.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the invention to provide improved means for readily detachably connecting a suspension mount to a protective helmet.

A further object is to provide such a device wherein the suspension mount and shell include inter-engaging latch means to resist removal of the mount from the shell.

A further object is to provide such a device which includes guide means operative to register the latch means automatically as the suspension mount is applied to the helmet shell.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of the invention, the structure of the several elements thereof, combinations and subcombinations of such elements, all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention and to the following specification wherein the invention is described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view taken from below of a helmet shell and a helmet suspension mount, the suspension being omitted; and

Figire 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional view through the assembled helmet shell and suspension mount.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts in'all views, designates generally any suitable shell for a protective helmet. A circumferential series of spaced spring clips 11 are secured to the interior of the shell 10 in upwardly spaced relation to the lower edge 12 thereof. Each clip 11 comprises a base 13 and a downwardly directed spring arm 14 which overlies the base. The clips 11 are secured to the'shell 10 by any suitable means such as the rivets or the like 15 which include inner heads 16 overlying the bases 13 so as to provide projections underlying the spring arms 14.

The suspension mount according to the embodiment of the invention illustrated comprises a substantially stiff but resilient band 20 which is preferably complementary to the lower portion of the shell 10 and has a close fit therein. Spaced portions of the band 20 are formed with holes or recesses 21 which are complementary to the rivet heads 16 and releasably receive the same therein to resist withdrawal of the suspension mount 20 from the shell 10. Spring arms 14 bear on the band 20 in the region of the projections 16 to comprise therewith a series of spring latches for securing the band 20 in place.

To facilitate the application'of the suspension mount or band 20 to the shell 10 and to insure that the recesses 21 register with the projections 16, guide means have been provided. Such guide means may comprise a series of tabs 22 which are secured to the band 20 in any suit-' able manner, not shown, so as to project upwardly thereof and, preferably, diagonally inwardly of the same. Each tab 22 may be provided with a guide slot 23 which receives the spring arm 14 as the band 20 is applied to the helmet 10 from below. In the embodiment shown, there is a tab 22 for each spring arm 14 although it is obvious that as few as two such tabs would probably sufiice. It is apparent that the guide'means just described automatically causes the recesses 21 and projections 16 to register as the band 20 is applied and that the spring arms 14 cause the projections 16 to be seated in the recesses 21. Thus, the suspension mount may be-applied to the shell 10 in the dark if necessary.

In the device illustrated, the tabs 22 have upper portions 24 which provide finger grips for pulling the upper edge of the band 20 radially inwardly so as to release the same from the projections 16 when the suspension mount is to be removed from the helmet shell 16. Also, such upper portions 24 of the tabs 22 may each include one or more additional slots 25 to receive the lower ends of cradle straps 26 such as those illustrated in the patent to Grancsay et al, No. 2,758,306. The remainder of the suspension may comprise any suitable sweatband, not shown, such as that illustrated in the patent to Riddell, No. 2,250,275, which is secured by any suitable means to the band 20 intermediate the tabs 22.

It is apparent from the foregoing, that the invention is not only one which is strong and sturdy in use but one which is applicable to standard helmet shells with but a minimum of modification. Likewise, it is clear that the suspension mount may be applied to and removed from the shell 10 without the use of tools other than the fingers and in poor light or in the dark.

Likewise, it should be understood that while there has been shown and described what is now thought to be preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, the invention is not limited to the precise structure shown and described hereinabove except as hereinafter claimed.

We claim:

1. In a means for readily detachably connecting a helmet suspension to a helmet shell, including a series of spaced spring means adapted to be carried by said shell, an annular suspension mount including circumferentially spaced portions adapted to be normally secured to said shell inwardly thereof by said spring means, said spaced portions and shell including interfitting latch means releasably secured together by said spring means, the improvement comprising said suspension mount including guide means, said guide means being operative to register automatically said interfitting latch means as said mount is applied to said shell, said guide means comprising spaced elements carried by said suspension mount, said elements being formed with slots therethrough and said spring arms being slidable through said slots as said mount is applied to said shell.

2. In a means for readily detachably connecting a helmet suspension to a helmet shell, including a series of spring clips adapted to be carried by said shell, each clip comprising a downwardly directed spring arm adapted to overlie said shell, an annular suspension mount adapted to carry said suspension, said suspension mount including circumferentially spaced portions adapted to be normally secured to said shell by said spring arms, said spaced portions of said mount and said clips being formed with interfitting recesses and projections, and said projections normally being retained in said recesses by said spring arms, the improvement compris ing said: suspension mount including guidemeans auto-- said spaced elements including portions providing finger grips for releasing said projections from said recesses.

3. In a means for readily detachably connecting a helmet suspension to a helmet shell, including a series of spring clips adapted to be carried by said shell, eachclip comprising a downwardly directed spring arm adapted to overlie said shell, a suspension mount comprising an annular band adapted to carry said suspension, said band including circumferentially spaced portion adapted to be normally secured to said shell by said spring arms, said spaced portions of said band and said clips being formed with interfitting recesses and projections, and said projections normally being retained in said recesses by said spring arms, the improvement comprising spaced tabs carried by said bandand extending diagonally upwardly and inwardly thereof, there being, a tab for each clip, each tab being formed with a slot therein slidably receiving a spring arm therethrough as said band is applied to said helmet whereby to provide automatic registration of said projections and recesses.

4. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said spaced elements include portions providing finger grips operatively associated with said interfitting latch; means, and said finger grips being manually operative to disengage said latch means to permit removal of said mount from said shell.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 557,864 McNamara Apr. 7, 1896 1,266,219 Curti'ss May 14, 1918 2,585,937 Johnson et al Feb. 19, 1952- 2,866,977 Finken Ian. 6, 1959- j FOREIGN PATENTS 5583303 Great Britain Dec. 30, 1943 139,955 France Feb. 25, 1957 

